Writing and imprinting machine attachment



Oct. 22, 1940.

A. w. METZNER f WRITING AND IMPRINTING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed June 24, 1937 ATTORN EY Patented Oct. 22,

PATENT OFFICE wnrrmo AND mammo MACHINE ATTACHMENT Albert W. Metz ner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor Q. Sherman, Dayton, Ohi

to John o Application June 24, 1937, Serial No. 150,157

9 Claims.

. entire legend or line taken at one operation, there has been experienced a difliculty of shadow' printing resulting from a slight chatter or vibration of the platen or from a. slight yielding movement under pressure of the type elements. This vibration and resulting ""shadow printing" is especially prevalent in those machines wherein the conventional pressure roller for frictionally feeding the record material are retracted or rendered inoperative and the material is positively advanced by pin type or other registering and aligning feed means.

Such frictional pressure rollers normally exert sufiicient pressure against the platen roll to resist vibration of the platen in event there is looseness of the platen roll bearings. When withdrawn from operative relation therewith to enable positive aligning and registering feeding operation, the platen is freed from the restraining influence of the pressure rollers and is. subject to chatter in its bearings. v

Likewise, the extremely longdistance between the platen bearings and inherent weakness of the platen roll and its mounting shaft tends to permit the platen to spring out of line, particularly in power operated mechanisms of the tabulating machine type wherein imprinting is effected under tremendous pressures by gangsof type elements at a single operation. The withdrawal of the tensioned pressure ofthe conventional frictional feed rolls also permits slight rotative fluctuations of the platen especially if the line spacing ratchet 45 operation. All of these factors contribute to type elements are set and an impression of an is not firmly set at the end of the line spacing under pressure, but which will not interfere with its freedom of rotation.

The-object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap, but effective bracing means for a rotary platen roll, which may not only be economically manufactured, but which may be easily and readily applied to existing machines, and which will not interfere with the prescribed operation thereof, but which will support the platen roll against deflection.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thrust bearing device which is capable of to and fro adjustment to the region of greatest pressure and which may be quickly applied and removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide adjustable brace means by which the thrust pressure or resistance may be varied at will and ad justed in accordance with the operating pressure of the printing elements.

A further object is to provide bracing means associated with the platen and so positioned as to resist pressure exerted on the platen in the 11m printing operation.

A further and important object of the invention is to overcome shadow printing" incident to the operation of writing a and imprinting machines.

Aiurther object of the invention is to provide a platen roll abutment embodying the advantageous structural features and meritorious characteristics herein mentioned.

A further object is to prevent deterioration of the operating machine through vibration when a positive aligning feed, requiring release of all normal frictional feeding pressure againstthe forms, is used. v

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing, wherein is illustrated the preferred, but obviously not nece sarily the only form ofennbodiment of the invention, Fig. l is a perspective view of the platen carriage of a conventional writing or imprinting machine, to which the present invention. has been applied. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the thrust bar or abutment bridge removed from the carriage and the bearing roller mounted thereon. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bearing roller and its mounting removed from the thrust bar. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the bearing roller mounting in reverse position. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a modification. Fig. 7 illustrates armodiflcation wherein the thrust abutment is varied relative to the platen by longitudinal adjustment upon the support bar. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the thrust member adapted for use on a diagonally disposed support as shown'in Fig. '7.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

In the drawing l indicates the platen carriage of a conventional writing or tabulating machine for making imprinted records, in which is mounted a revoluble cylindrical platen roll 2, supported upon an elongated shaft 3, journaled in the end frames of the carriage I. Beneath the platen roll 2 are shown the customary frictional pressure rollers 4 which cooperate with the platen roll 2 to frictionally advance the record material about the platen and past the imprintingposition indicated at 5a. In the present instance the platen roll is shown equipped with pin type feeding units 6, the pins I of which progressively engage in marginal spaced holes 8 in the record material for positively advancing the material past the writing position alternatively with its advancement by the frictional pressure rollers. The pin type feeding units 6 are preferably of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,000,649, issued to John Q. Sherman on May, '7, 1935, wherein the pins 1 are reciprocable longitudinally into and out of feeding engagement with the marginal' holes 8 in the record material, and wherein the. pins are shiftable at will into and out of oper-. ative position.

Above the platen roll 2 is shown in retracted inoperative position a paper guide comprising a" swinging ball 9, .the arms ill of which are pivoted to the end frames of the carriage," for to and fro oscillatory motion. The ball carries paper guide rolls l I, which engage the record material beyond the writing position when the bail is lowered into operative relation.

,The construction .thus described is typical of writing and imprinting machines now in general use, and is here shown and described for illustrative purposes only and not with intent to unduly limit or restrict the present invention.

Disposed across the platen carriage immediately in the rear of the platen roll 2 is a brace bar or abutment bridge l2, preferably of angle bar form adapted to resist the thrust pressure of the imprinting elements against the platen roll. The

. bridge or brace bar I! is firmly aflixed to the end frames of the platen carriage. To facilitate its proper adjustment relative to the platen roll, the bar is formed with slotted end brackets l3, through the slotted openings of which attachment screws l4 engage. Removably and adjustably secured to the brace bar or bridge i2 is one or more rollers l5 which bear against the rear side of the platen roll'and receive the thrust pressure at the moment of impact of the printing elements I6 against the platen roll 2. For convenient interchangeability and adjustment, the rollers l5 are mounted in-holders l'l comprising a length of sheet metal reversely folded upon itself to form a bight it, within which the flange of the brace bar or bridge I! is .engageabl'e, and having integral ears 19 in which the roller I5 is journaled. The bight I8 is sufficiently tight to firmly grip the flange of the brace bar,- but is subject to to and fro shifting adjustment thereon to present the roller ii at the point of maximum deflection or in the pressure plane of the imprinting elements.

Several rollers l5, each mounted in its individual holder, or multiple rollers in the same holder, may be distributed at greater or less intervals along the brace bar or bridge [2 behind the platen. Likewise, such rollers may be mounted either singly or in pairs one above the other by engaging the holders with one or both flanges of the bar i2.

In lieu of the detachable roller mounting described, the brace bar or bridge may be formed with a concave face in parallel spaced relation with the rear face of the platen roll, as shown at I20, in Fig. 6, and a plurality of rollers i5a may be disposed in multiple parallel relation in the concave face of the bar. This will distribute the .thrust pressure over a greater area and afford increased resistance to deflection.

The brace bar I2 is adjustable toward andfrom the platen roll within the limits of the slots in the end brackets l3 by releasing the screws i4. Thus the relation of .the thrust bearing or roller and the platen may be regulated in accordance with the conditions of use. The engagement of the platen with the thrust bearing or bracing device is at a point substantially opposite the imprinting position and intermediate the paths of the record material in approaching and leaving the platen roll and hence does not interfere therewith.

In lieu of bodily adjusting the bridge bar [2 .toward and from the platen roller as may be found' desirable, there is illustrated in Fig. 7 a

'further modification wherein the marginal edge of the flange of the bridge bar is formed with a succession of inclined notches 20 and the thrust roller mounting is formed in askew relation with the roller l5 as is indicated in Fig. 8, whereby the roller I5 is disposed inparallel relation with the platen roll 2 while the mount [8 conforms to the angular line of the marginal notch 20. By sliding the roller mount longitudinally upon the inclined edge of the brace bar l2 the roller i9 may be adjusted into more or less close relation with the platen roll.

The rollers il upon the swinging bail 9 in the conventional writing machine lightly contact with the record material beyond the writing position to maintain the record material in conformity with the surface of the platen roll and deflect it rearwardly as it is advanced past the writing position. In the present instance these rollers are preferably not employed. Instead of utilizing the rollers ll, longitudinally slotted guide fingers 2| are attached to the swinging ball 9 in such position that the feeding pins I will extend within the clearance slots therein when the bail is lowered. In making installation of the present device upon an existing imprinting or writing machine, it is not necessary that the rollers ll shall be removed. The slotted guide fingers are merely attached to the bail 9 and the latter is supported in a slightly elevated position by any suitable means such, for example, as a stop whereby there is no roller pressure upon the record material and the slotted guide fingers 2| are held out of frictional contact, but sufficiently close to the record material to maintain it upon 1 the pins 1 during the feeding operation. The use .may be employed in lieu of the existing bail.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form,'proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any ofits advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a writing machine wherein imprinting devices exert pressure against a rotary platen roll, the combination with a platen carriage, of a rotary platen roll mounted therein, a brace bar mounted on the carriage in parallel spaced relation with the side of the platen 'roll engaged by the imprinting devices and a roller mounted upon thebrace bar and having contact engagement with the platen roll in the pressure'plane of the imprinting elements and opposite the line of engagement of the imprinting devices with the platen for resisting the thrust pressure of said imprinting devices and preventing deflection of theplaten roll thereby.

, 2. In a writing machine a rotary platen roll, a mounting therefor, imprinting devices exerting impression making pressure against one side of theplaten roll, and a'backing member engaging the opposite side of the platen roll in opposition to the pressure of the imprinting devices for resisting the thrust pressure thereof and preventing deflection of the platen roll thereby.

3. In a writing machine the combination with a rotary platen roll, a mounting therefor, and imprinting devices exerting impression making pressure against the convex faceof the platen roll, of a brace bar mounted in parallel relation (with the platen roll at the side thereof opposite the area engaged by the imprinting devices; and a roll adiustably mounted on the brace bar and having contact engagement with the platen roll 'for resisting the thrust pressure of the imprinting devices and preventing deflection of the platen roll thereby.

4. In a writing machine the combination with roll, of a relatively adjustable pressure resistant thrust bearing supporting the platen roll intermediate its ends against the thrust pressure of the imprinting devices and preventing deflection imprinting devices exerting impression making pressure against the convex face of the platen roll, of spaced pressure resistant thrust bearings having operative engagement with the platen roll at circumferentially spaced points on the side thereof opposite that engaged by the imprinting devices for preventing deflection of the roll thereby.

7. In a writing machine the combination with a rotary platen roll, a mounting therefor, and imprinting devices exerting impression making pressure against the convex faceof the platen roll, of spaced pressure resistant thrust bearings having operative engagement with the platen roll at longitudinally spaced points on the side thereof opposite that engaged by the imprinting devices for preventing deflection of the roll thereby.

8. In a writing machine the combination with a rotary platenroll, a mounting therefor, and imprintingdevices exerting impression making pressure against the convex face of the platen roll, of a thrust bearingdetachably mounted for engagement with the platen roll at the side thereof opposite that engaged by the imprinting devices for resisting deflection of the roll thereby.

9. In a writing machine the combination with a rotary platen roll, a mounting therefor, and imprinting devices exerting impression making pressure against the convex face of the platen roZl, an angle bar mounted in parallel spaced relation with the platen roll, a bearing roll having thrust engagement with' the side of the platen r'oll opposite that engaged by the imprinting de vices, and a holder for the bearing roll including a portion of spring material reversely bent upon itself to form. a bight within which a flange of the angle bar is gripped to removably support the bearing roll in position to resist the thrust pressure of the imprinting devices and prevent deflection of the platen roll thereby.

ALBERT w. METZNER. 

